Tuesday, December 4, 2007

During a recent Iron Chef battle, a McDonald's logo flashed on the screen for 1/30 of a second. This was caught by someone who had Tivo'd the show and they posted the clip on YouTube. The Food Network blamed a "technical" error. As someone who edits video for a semi-living, I've never accidentally put a completely unrelated frame into the middle of one of my videos. My theory is that they did it intentionally, not as subliminal advertising, but for the publicity they knew the controversy would cause. Watch the clip and you be the judge, I'm going to grab a couple Big Macs.

I saw that on you tube (a thing I now peruse .... thanks to you.) and I thought to myself, "Now, you know that has to be something that this poster made up, just to get some you tube attention." I'm still voting for my theory, but since I don't have the footage in question, how will I ever know?

I noticed it when the episode first aired. My reaction was basically what the hell was that. I've long wondered what McDonalds sponsored Iron Chef for anyway. Talk about opposite sides of the food world.

There seems to be a one/year response to this post, so I believe this year it is my turn.There is no such thing as subliminal advertising. All scientific tests show that this hidden frame thing doesn't work. FCC have a guideline, that broadcasters are encouraged to follow, which prohibits such adv attempts, but not because they work. As I remember the guideline states that it is done with coercive intention and regardless of its effectiveness, the "subliminal" advertising is not welcomed.

Knowing all that, and realizing "Food Network" also knows it, the only reasonable conclusion is that this frame was put there to generate false controversy. So sleep well, occasionally broadcasters will continue to do this, nothing bed is going to happen to us(cous this don't work) and I'm going out to buy a BigMac... I ment, yeah...

P.S. In US TV was broadcasted in standard NTSC - 60fps, so I guess McD payed about 1/1800th of the standard fee.P.P.S. And yes "was", not "is". Since 2009 most television is broadcasted using the new ATSC digital standard that allows for HDTV. In this standard anything under 1080p is broadcasted with up to 60fps and 1080p is up to 30fps.